


These Gifts Don't Spoil

by writiana



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Criminal Minds Secret Santa, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Other, Secret Santa, Spencer Reid Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-18 07:20:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28739388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writiana/pseuds/writiana
Summary: When Penelope plays matchmaker, Spencer will do anything to get you the perfect secret santa gift.co-written with my love, @sleepyreid on tumblr
Relationships: Spencer Reid/Reader
Comments: 2
Kudos: 83





	These Gifts Don't Spoil

Derek Morgan had a mission. Spencer didn’t know what it was, but he did know one thing: it involved him. How did he know that, one may ask? Because Derek had been following him around the office all day. Whether he was replenishing his coffee, complimenting his work, or asking him how he was doing, Derek was there. He was buttering him up.  
  
Spencer just wasn’t sure _why._  
  
Not that Derek was particularly mean to him, but he didn’t usually ask him how much creamer he took in his coffee.  
  
It was just strange. Coupled with the fact that Christmas was two weeks away and the entire office was jarringly decorated with tinsel, Spencer had an odd feeling that a scheme was afoot. But that could’ve just been his inquisitive personality acting up, after all.  
  
Then Penelope came out of her office with a Santa hat on.  
  
“Spencer! Spencer, darling,” she said dreamily, floating over to his desk with an aura that one could only call _holly_.  
  
Spencer looked up. “Hm?  
  
With a flourish, Penelope took off her hat. She then reached into the front pocket of her apron dress, dropped a handful of something into the hat, and offered it to Spencer.  
  
“Pick a name, any name!”  
  
Although skeptical, Spencer reached into the hat. He felt around in what he could only assume were strips of paper. After a few seconds, he picked one and held it up to read it. He squinted.  
  
“This says H–”  
  
Penelope’s eyes widened. “Shhh! You can’t say the name! Keep it to yourself.”  
  
That only made Spencer’s brow pinch more. “Why not?”  
  
His friend frowned, tilting her head. “Because it’s for Secret Santa, silly. Did nobody tell you?”  
  
Before Spencer had a chance to respond, Penelope was on her way to look for JJ, who was also in need of a name for Secret Santa.  
  
Spencer looked over at Derek with a confused look still on his face, but Derek didn’t give Spencer a chance to speak either.  
  
“I need you to switch names with me,” he said quickly.  
  
“What? No,” Spencer shook his head, “I’m not letting Garcia get mad at _me_ because _you_ want to break the rules.”  
  
“Garcia won’t find out if you don’t tell her,” Derek teased. “Now c’mon, switch names with me. I have Y/N and I have no idea what to get them, you’d do better.”  
  
Spencer looked skeptical, and he wanted to say no… but the truth was, he would love to be your Secret Santa. On one hand, he had gotten close to you this past year and _might_ have developed feelings stronger than friendship. A perfect gift might get _you_ to look at _him_ as more than a friend. On the other hand… Spencer didn’t even want to think about what Garcia would do if she found out he switched names with Derek.  
  
“Please,” Derek pleaded, breaking Spencer out of his thoughts.  
  
“Fine,” Spencer sighed, “but if Garcia finds out, you’re dead to me.”  
  
What Spencer didn’t know, however, is that Penelope had a plan, and someone with a good plan _always_ has a good ally. And who could be a better ally than Derek Morgan?  
  
Penelope could sense a crush from a mile away, and _God_ , watching Spencer not make a move on you was wearing her out. When Hotch put her in charge of the team’s annual Secret Santa, being too lazy to organize it himself, Penelope took it as a sign.  
  
The universe wanted her to play cupid.  
  
After making a big speech about how nobody under any circumstances was allowed to trade the name they got for Secret Santa, she pulled Derek aside.  
  
“Ignore everything I just said. I’m going to give you Y/N, and you’re going to switch with Reid,” she had said to him. She then sighed, following up with, “for a genius, he really can’t seem to deduce how to make a move.”  
  
If Penelope knew anything about Spencer, she knew he’d get you a nice gift. The boy was lovesick, she could tell. She figured, or hoped at least, that Spencer would get you the perfect gift, that would create a domino effect, and _bam_! The two of you would be dating.  
  
And yeah, Penelope knew manipulating the names wasn’t the most honest of Secret Santa approaches, but this was for a good cause... _love_. And Penelope loved love. She figured Spencer could too if he just gave it a chance.  
  
Penelope was almost out of names when she got to you at your desk. You were immersed in paperwork but as soon as you saw your friend, your tired eyes brightened.  
  
“What’s up?” You asked, although you already had an idea from her get-up and the accessory she held out to you.  
  
“Pick a name, any name!” She parroted, swishing her head from side to side for effect. You laughed and shook your head but reached into the hat.  
  
There was only one slip of paper left at the bottom of the Santa hat. You pinched it in between your fingers, careful not to let the name scrawled on it be seen. Under Penelope’s excited gaze, you read it, and…  
  
You pursed your lips to lessen your smile, holding the paper to your chest. Penelope looked into her hat.  
  
“Is that the last of my names?” She hummed before looking at you. You nodded.  
  
“I believe so.”  
  
She took on a very self-satisfied smirk.  
  
“And are you happy with your selection?”  
  
It was hard to keep the grin on your face from spreading. Penelope, however, took no measures in subduing hers. You simply nodded.  
  
“I am _very_ happy with my selection.”  
  
…  
  
At first, Spencer wasn’t sure what to get you.  
  
He cycled through a few ideas, mostly basic ones– expensive candies, a nice bottle of wine, and various records from artists you loved were all in the running. His excitement (that was also very much nervousness) was clouding his judgement because, regardless of how willing he was to admit it, he liked you. He liked you a _lot_. That just made it all the more difficult to buy for you– he knew what kind of music and food and decor you liked so, logically, he had a general idea of what to gift you with, but something nagged at him. He couldn’t just get you any gift; he had to get you the gift, the perfect gift. Because that’s what you were: perfect.  
  
A week before the Secret Santa exchange was to take place, Spencer thought of something.  
  
Some months ago when Spencer had been over for dinner and wine, you had gotten around to showing him a family photo album. It was an old one, bound with leather and love based on the wear and tear on the pages. In one of the photos was a stoic 1880s woman that looked a lot like you. She wore a high-collared dress fastened with an ornate brooch.  
  
“Who’s that?” he had asked, pointing at the photograph but not touching it. A distant but genuine smile spread across your face.  
  
“That’s one of my great grandmas,” you said.  
  
“She’s beautiful.” He looked at you. “You look a lot like her.”  
  
Your smile widened. “Thank you.”  
  
Your fingers traced across the image, coming to rest on the piece of jewelry at her throat. Spencer leaned in, getting a closer look at it.  
  
“That’s stunning,” he told you. You always appreciated that Spencer had an eye for the finer things; you’d had boyfriends in the past that thought anything even remotely fashionable was too feminine for them, so it was refreshing. Not that Spencer was your boyfriend or anything, though…  
  
A wistful sigh fell from your lips. “Yeah, it is.”  
  
You tapped it once, twice. “It was supposed to be passed down to me.”  
  
He looked at you. “Supposed to be?”  
  
You nodded. “Yeah, it got passed down from every generation up until my mom. Then she, uh… kinda lost it.”  
  
Spencer frowned, clearly sad for you. “I’m sorry. That’s sad.”  
  
You shrugged, retracting your hand from your great grandmother’s photo.  
  
“I was pretty upset when she told me. I’ve gotten over it but I still kinda miss it in a way, y’know?” You looked at Spencer. “Even though I never had it in the first place. Does that make sense?”  
It took Spencer a second to respond; the way you were looking at him was so delicate and longing that it made his heart skip. He cleared his throat.  
  
“No. I mean, yeah, that makes sense. It makes total sense.”  
  
You smiled, looking down and closing the photo album. The conversation seemed over until you set the book on the coffee table.  
  
“I guess my daydreams of dressing up all fancy and pinning it onto my collar to finish off the look will have to stay daydreams,” you said, only half-joking. Spencer had laughed with you at the time, but he knew you were still sad.  
  
Now at a computer, searching through vintage archives and jewelry listings, he knew exactly what to get you.  
  
…  
  
The twenty-third of December blew in with snow and a whole lot of hot cocoa and bad jokes.  
  
At around eight o’clock in the evening, everybody gathered at Penelope’s apartment for the exchanging of Secret Santa gifts. Despite the sun having set, everyone was in bright spirits, telling holiday stories while lounging on the couches and floor. You were draped against the side of an armchair, holding a mug of cocoa that you tried not to spill while laughing at a story Derek told about a Christmas eve dinner gone awry when he was a child. Spencer sat on the couch nearest you, trying to hide the looks he kept stealing at you.  
  
Once the laughter had died down, Penelope suddenly gasped and sat up. She clapped her hands together to gather everyone’s attention.  
  
“Alright, alright! Enough… chattering,” she waved her hands as she searched for the word, “we should start the gift exchange! Who wants to go first that isn’t me because I really feel my excitement should be saved?”  
  
A low chuckle went around the room before you sat up, clearing your throat.  
  
“I will.”  
  
You reached into your bag and pulled out a small box marked ‘PG,’ and walked over towards Penelope.  
  
“Merry Christmas,” you spoke, smiling brightly her way.  
  
Penelope’s eyes lit up as she carefully opened the box you had handed her. Although the main focus in the room was Penelope, Spencer’s eyes were on you as he nervously anticipated giving you your gift.  
  
 _What if they hate it? Is it too personal? Should I just give them cash?_  
  
Spencer was broken out of his thoughts by Derek, who had gently elbowed him and smirked as if he knew exactly what was going on in Spencer’s mind.  
  
Penelope gasped as she looked inside the box you handed her.  
  
“Y/N… These are so _cute_. Where did you get these?”  
  
“I made them myself,” you blushed.  
  
She pulled you into a hug before you had time to process it, whispering a quiet thank you into your ear.  
  
“Well do _we_ get to see what the gift is?” Derek sarcastically asked.  
  
Everyone chuckled as Penelope carefully took out three pairs of homemade earrings to show everyone in the room. One pair had small dangly watermelons at the end, one had cows, and the last had tiny muffin baskets.  
  
Once she put the earrings back in the box, Penelope reached for her gift.  
  
“I guess it would only make sense for me to go next!” Penelope exclaimed. Excitement was evident in her voice as she picked up a gift bag and walked towards Spencer, playfully throwing the bag on his lap.  
  
“Merry Christmas, Spence,” she smiled warmly towards him.  
  
Spencer carefully removed tissue paper from the bag, his cheeks red as he realized everyone’s attention was now on him. He reached in and felt something soft, bringing it out for everyone to see.  
  
“It’s a cardigan,” Spencer’s face lit up.  
  
“Y/N wasn’t the only one getting creative,” Penelope joked. “That fine fuzzy garment was knitted by yours truly.”  
  
Spencer was stunned.  
  
“I… Thank you. I,” Spencer pushed himself up and pulled Penelope into a hug and put the sweater on right away for everyone to see.  
  
“You got him thinking he’s a model now,” Derek teased as Spencer sat back down, shoving Derek and sinking back into the couch.  
  
“You’re next,” Penelope reminded Spencer. She exchanged a look with Derek as she spoke, one filled with excitement and hope that screamed ‘this better work.’  
  
“Oh, right,” Spencer chuckled nervously.  
  
He sat up slowly and deliberately, reaching next to the couch to retrieve your gift.  
  
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” he grumbled, although he was smiling.  
  
When he turned to you, you seemed surprised. You frowned, confused.  
  
“Me?”  
  
He tried not to smile too widely. The butterflies in his stomach went nuts.  
  
“Who else?”  
  
You weren’t sure what to say to that, or what the implications of that statement were. You didn’t allow yourself to be stunned for long, though; you sat up straight and grinned.  
  
“Lay it on me, boy wonder.”  
  
Spencer nodded and reached under the couch. From there he withdrew a small package wrapped in nondescript brown paper and tied with twine. The parcel was about half the size of his hand, not very large at all. You eyed it with curiosity as he Spencer held it out to you.  
  
“Merry Christmas,” he said, laughing breathily. His fingers twitched like he wanted to take the gift back– what if it wasn’t good enough?  
  
Too late, you were already unravelling the string and peeling back the paper.  
  
Under the wrapping, you found a black box patterned like leather. You pulled off the lid and set it aside before looking inside.  
  
When you did, your jaw went slack.  
  
“Wh–?”  
  
Inside of the box was your grandmother’s pin. Brand new, shining, and sitting in your hands like it belonged there.  
  
The gold had been polished until it gleamed, the intricate and interweaving strands looking like tangible ribbons of sunshine. In later photos of the brooch, jewels had been missing, but now? Every single one of them was in place, gleaming like stars. Each richly red ruby and icy white diamond was there. In the center was one large, teardrop shaped ruby and from there hung a tiny chain attached to one black jewel. It was gorgeous and stunning and everything you’d ever dreamed of holding. And it was yours.  
  
You looked at Spencer, who was blushing furiously.  
  
“How… Spencer, how did you get this? I–” You kept looking from the brooch to him, disbelieving. “This has been lost forever, where did you find it?”  
  
Spencer sat up and leaned in closer.  
  
“I didn’t.” He shrugged.  
  
Your brow furrowed. Just before you could ask another question, Penelope spoke up.  
  
“What is it? It’s beautiful, like… wow.” She looked at Spencer with a shit-eating grin on her face because oh my _god_ , had her and Derek’s plan worked. But he wasn’t paying any attention to her– just you. Derek shook his head, also smiling, and sipped his drink.  
  
You looked down again. “It’s an old brooch, it was in my family for years, but… it got lost. Spencer, how in the _world_ did you find this?”  
  
“I told you, I didn’t,” he chuckled. “I tracked down the jeweler that made the original. They went out of business a while ago but there was another one still active that fashions vintage pieces. I commissioned this one from them.”  
  
You just kept shaking your head. It was gorgeous and… and you didn’t deserve it.  
  
You cupped your hands over the brooch and tried to hand it back.  
  
“I can’t take this. Spencer, this must’ve cost you–”  
  
“Shhh,” he placed his hand on top of yours, gently pushing them back to you. “It’s a gift, remember? I got it for _you_. I don’t have much use for it.”  
  
You opened your palms again to stare at your gift. You couldn’t even imagine how much he had spent on this– the limit had been around $100, but Spencer had clearly exceeded that. He exceeded that by a lot, probably, and for you. You. Why?  
  
You didn’t know, but you could only dare to hope.  
  
Penelope cleared her throat, exaggeratedly slapping the couch cushion beneath her to get everyone’s attention. Yours and Spencer’s, however, hardly adjusted.  
  
“How about another round of cocoa before the next gifts, huh? Derek, do you wanna go next?”  
  
She raised an eyebrow, hoping everybody in the room would get the memo. Luckily, they did. Everybody but you and Spencer stood.  
  
Derek wrapped an arm around Penelope and the pair of them followed everybody else out. Penelope kept her gaze turned toward you and Spencer for as long as she could before rounding the corner into the kitchen.  
  
You still had no clue what to say about this present, and you said as much.  
  
“Spencer, I don’t even know what to say.” Your voice was barely above a whisper. Spencer’s smile was soft and gentle like candlelight.  
  
“You don’t have to say anything.”  
  
You bit your lip. Honestly, you felt a little bit like you were going to cry. Instead, you leaned over and threw your arm around Spencer’s neck, burying your face in his shoulder. He didn’t hesitate to hug you back.  
  
“Thank you.”  
  
“Always.”  
  
 _Always_.  
  
You pulled away from the hug but stayed close enough that Spencer could almost feel your breath fanning across his face. _Almost_.  
  
“They’re probably spying on us right now, you know,” he said quietly, amused. You shrugged.  
  
“Let them.”  
  
You looked down at the brooch, carefully caressing it as you admired it. Your eyes began to water. You didn’t remember your grandmother much, but you remembered all the special occasions your mother would wear the brooch, and that made you teary eyed.  
  
“I really don’t deserve this, Spencer,” you spoke quietly.  
  
Spencer gently placed a hand on your knee, and without thinking you placed your hand on top of his. It was natural, but it felt different than all the other times you had touched each other. It felt _special_.  
  
This _gift_ was special. Spencer had not only spent way more than he should’ve, but he had also gone out of his way to get you a meaningful gift you would love. Your heart sped up, butterflies filled your stomach…  
You felt like a teenager again.  
  
For months you had been repressing these feelings you had for Spencer, but you were well aware of your hopeless crush on him. Everytime you were with him, everything just felt lighter. You laughed a little louder with him, smiled a little more, and everything just felt warmer.  
  
Of course you knew Spencer’s memory was basically perfect, but you were still surprised he had thought of the brooch you had shown him months ago. And now, looking back on it, you realized you’d never even talked about that brooch with anyone else. You never found yourself sitting looking through photo albums with anyone else, either. Spencer had become such a major part of your life, but it all happened so naturally you were able to brush it off.  
  
A similar feeling rushed through Spencer’s veins as the two of you sat together, hands touching.  
  
Spencer wasn’t always the best at navigating his feelings. It took him a god-awful long time to even understand the fact that he had a romantic attraction towards you, but sitting with you now made him feel so stupid for ever doubting his feelings for you.  
  
He wasn’t sure what to say or even how to ask you out, but he knew he couldn’t stand being friends with you any longer.  
  
Spencer wanted more with you.  
  
You looked into Spencer’s eyes for a moment, not wanting to make him too uncomfortable with intense eye contact, and gave him a warm smile.  
  
“I can’t wait to wear this,” you beamed, “I’ll have to find a reason to dress up, huh?”  
  
Spencer nodded along with you before his eyes lit up, an indication that he had thought of an idea.  
  
“You could wear it on New Year’s Eve?” he suggested, pursing his lips before continuing. “I think some of us are going out, you could come if you don’t have any plans of your own.”  
  
You tilted your head slightly, a smug look on your face.  
  
“Well since I don’t have anything set in stone, I might just have to take you up on that,” you teased. “Maybe have to make you my New Year’s kiss”  
  
Spencer’s eyes widened and he took a moment to process what you had said, taken aback by your boldness. Then, he took it upon himself to look up into _your_ eyes this time. Something new but not uncomfortable passed between you two– something hopeful, something genuine.  
  
He nodded.  
  
“It’s a date.”


End file.
